Review- AMEX Platinum Card Dining Privileges

Date nights are something I look forward to these days. It’s a nice getaway from work, from tests and spellings, and from noise. Going out for a nice dinner with the husband always mean we can chat about anything without speaking in Cantonese so that the kids won’t get that particular comment you just had to say, or we can just be quiet and enjoy each other’s presence. However, having three kids also meant that date nights have to be affordable and not burst the already wearing thin wallet.

So we were pleasantly surprised when we realised the American Express Platinum Cards offer a most attractive perk: 50% off the final bill when it’s a meal for two! Woohooo!!! When there’s just two dining, the PALATE programme that comes with the AMEX platinum card let’s you eat at half the price! And this is offered at over 80 fine dining restaurants! You can imagine how excited we were! Cos it’s not the usual chain restaurants, but some classy restaurant with really good award winning chef helming the kitchen!

We looked through the list and decided one Wedensday evening to try out Senso Ristorante & Bar, an authentic Italian Fine Dining restaurant set in a historical old convent in central Singapore. Established in 2000, Senso was a perfect date night venue as we enjoyed a warm and cozy ambiance and devoured amazing dishes served by a most attentive team of staff. (We had dinner al fresco cos the rest of the dining area was booked for a private event… but it was beautiful!)

We started dinner with a Zucchini & Truffle soup. It was delicious! The soup was pureed into a smooth dish and the flavours were so distinctly fresh and natural!

For the mains, we chose quite instinctively. The husband wanted his usual seafood and he was pleasantly surprised there were four options offered. And it wasn’t surprising when he decided on the Seafood Platter which consisted of grilled Lanoustine, Scallop and prawns, Sea Bass, Cod Fillet and a cocotte of baby vegetables. He got to try a bit of everything on the menu with this gorgeous platter. Check it out!

It was so so yummy! Everything was so fresh, and tasted so so good.

For my mains, I ordered my favourite beef steak–The Australian brain-fed Beef Tenderloin. I remember to try to be a conousseir, order a steak and you would know how good the chef is! And so I did. Look at my dish! The beef was so so tender, and the side vegetables were very sweet and definitely well cut and seared.

And we ended dinner with DESSERTS! By then, I was really quite full, but I couldn’t resist their deserts. This is what we ordered. A Chocolate (menu described it as Hot dark Chocolate eruption served with Passionfruit and Vanilla Ice Cream) and a Lemon Tartlet ‘Big Meringue’. The chocolate did not disappoint at all! It was fantastic and the Lemon Tart was very surprising. Hidden under that huge meringue, were little red berries. Very nice.

 

And that was a amazing date night with wonderful ambiance and food. And all at 50% of the total bill! The bill came up to $92.98 nett (after discount, after taxes). Loved it! I would totally do it again!

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A couple of weeks later, I had a long day of meetings at work. And the husband decided to make that day a date night! Woohooo! He wanted to go French and try something more relaxing. So we went to the Hippopotamus Restaurant Grill, which has a wide selection of meat–ranging from the ever popula Sirloin, Tenderloin and Rib Steak to the Hanger and Skirt steaks.

The moment we stepped in, we knew Hippopotamus is a place that we can get huge groups of friends to come together or just have casual dinner for two again! (not so romantic cos of it’s more open concept!) And let me show you what we had!

In a French place, we just had to have French Onion soup! It came piping hot, with a layer of fresh melted cheese. Loved it!

For the Mains, we had to have their beef. We each chose our favourite cuts, and with our favourite sauce and ta-da… our very satisfying and excellent steak!

And of course, with me, we must always have a dessert. We picked what we felt was the most logical–Chocolate Combo Set. You get to try all 5 of their chocolate delights! It’s very good!

And of course, Hippopotamus is one of the restaurants that’s in the Amex Palate programme. Yeah! 50% off your bill. The final bill came up to $58 nett (after discount, after taxes) I left feeling full and so very happy!

Do take the time out for date nights. They do wonders to your soul (and your diet!)

Lucky Draw Promotion (exclusively for Platinum Card Members): From now till 9 Nov 2014, 5 lucky winners every day will win S$100 worth of dining voucher. Every receipt above S$50 earns you one chance to win.  Enjoy double the chances when you spend S$50 or more in a single receipt at any The Far Card or Palate establishment. Click on the link to get your own American Express Platinum Card,

The details of the restaurants featured above are:

Senso Ristorante & Bar

21 Club Street

Singapore 069410

Tel: 6224 3534

 

Hippopotamus Restaurant & Grill

6 Raffles Boulevard, #01-204/205

Marina Square

Singapore 039594

Tel: 63385352

 

*Our meals were sponsored by American Express, but all opinions are 100% my own.